


All is Sweet that Ends Sweet

by TyalanganD



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Canon Universe, Canon-Typical Violence, Feeding, Food, M/M, Mentions of Starvation, Protective Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Weight Gain
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-19
Updated: 2021-03-19
Packaged: 2021-03-28 09:48:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30137700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TyalanganD/pseuds/TyalanganD
Summary: Arthur discovers how little Merlin really had when he was living at Ealdor.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 14
Kudos: 215





	All is Sweet that Ends Sweet

**Author's Note:**

> So I've been thinking how different Merlin's attitude towards food would have been than what we have been presented with in canon. In a medieval world, where starvation was a sad reality for a peasant, Merlin would probably be rather overwhelmed by all this Camelot FOOD.  
> And then, my kinks kicked in.  
> Enjoy!

It really starts out by accident. 

Merlin is tidying Arthur’s chambers, while the prince sits behind his desk, reading a tax report. Merlin is prattling a little, as he’s apparently prone to do when he’s working in somebody else’s presence. Normally, Arthur would strangle him for being obnoxious, but that day, he’s rather grateful for the distraction. The report is really boring. 

Not that he’s really listening to what Merlin has to say. His voice is more of a background noise than anything else. It’s only when the blabbering suddenly stops that Arthur realizes he’s been asked a question. 

“Sorry, what?” He looks up from the report. 

Merlin huffs in exasperation. “I asked you if you know what’s the worst thing about the stocks.”

“Really, Merlin? We’re talking about the stocks now? You know I’m not sending you there anymore?”

“That's a pity, actually.” Merlin sighs. “Some people are really wasteful, you know. They throw perfectly good produce away. I managed to snatch some more than once. After they unshackled me, of course.”

“You're joking.”

“No.” Merlin sounds as if he’s finding Arthur’s comment incredibly funny. “That’s precisely the worst thing. All that waste. I’d never understand why people can waste perfectly good fruit just to see another human being suffer.”

“It's _rotten_ fruit, Merlin. Nobody would eat it anyway.”

“Some would,” Merlin mutters so quietly that Arthur barely hears him.

The prince doesn’t say anything to that. 

*** 

It takes Arthur a few more months to realize that Merlin has never eaten a chicken. 

Pheasants, partridge, game – those foods are obvious. Peasants don’t eat game. It’s the noblemen’s food, a result of a good day’s hunt. But to never eat _chicken_?

Merlin nibs at Arthur’s supper. The prince didn’t feel well and ordered it to be brought to his chambers. 

“I’m not hungry,” Arthur says. “You can have the rest.”

“Really?” Merlin asks, as if Arthur has just offered him ambrosia. 

“Yes. Eat up. You’re terribly skinny.”

“I won’t be always,” Merlin says in a tone one might take when swearing an oath. “It’s already better than it used to be when I first came here. Gaius has loads of food, and I sometimes get to eat scraps from the kitchen.” He takes a bite of the chicken. “Oh, gods. That’s so good.”

“Glad you like it,” Arthur says distractedly. “Though I prefer the plum sauce.”

Merlin grins at him. “Well, I wouldn’t know,” he says. “It’s not like I have any comparison.”

“You’re trying to tell me your mother only ever made roast chicken with leeks, then?”

Merlin gives him a funny look, his eyes widened. “Arthur, I’ve never eaten a chicken in my life.”

“What??” Arthur actually splutters. 

“What do you think we are in Ealdor, stupid or what? Hens give eggs. Who’d in their right mind would eat a hen?”

“You wouldn’t even eat one for a holiday? At Yuletide?”

“No, Arthur. We had pork once, though. Will’s dad slaughtered one and shared the ham with us. A true feast, that was. One of the best days of my life.” Merlin grins dreamingly.

Arthur is still incredulous. “But you’ve been in Camelot for a long time now. Surely, Gaius must have given you chicken at some point?”

Merlin shrugs. “He ate one once. Wasn’t enough of it for me, though. And I guess he wanted to punish me for something. Don’t remember what, exactly.”

“ _Mer_ lin,” Arthur says, his voice sounding like a warning. “From now on, you’re dining with me.”

*** 

And that is really the start of it. Arthur learns everything about winters in Ealdor. About Merlin’s dreams of bread. About how he one day was so hungry he hallucinated about Will’s face being made of food. About how he sends a large chunk of his earnings to Hunith so that she’ll never go hungry again. 

Or, about this one time when Camelot was under a curse and Merlin made Arthur eat rat stew, and when Arthur indignantly declined and stuffed Merlin with it instead, his servant was actually secretly pleased.

“It’s not like I wasn’t familiar with the taste of rat at that point, you know,” he mutters.

At last, Arthur learns how simple Merlin’s dreams can sometimes be. 

“I used to dream of becoming fat,” Merlin confides in him one day. “Of being rich enough so I could afford eating meat every Sunday, and maybe even having some sweets from time to time. Of being so full I want to go to sleep immediately.”

Next time they dine together, Arthur brings his favorite gingerbread biscuits and feeds Merlin half the jar, one by one. 

And it’s really easy. Arthur is fulfilling Merlin’s dream because he cares for his servant more than he’d ever admit. And when he sees how Merlin’s chest becomes broader and his waist thickens, he feels happy – that Merlin is finally safe, that he’ll never want again. 

And Merlin seems happier, too. He gets to eat all the delights of the king’s table. He gets to drink sweet wine and mead. And Arthur sees that from time to time, he sneakily catches the glimpse of his now much fuller face in Arthur’s mirror and smiles softly. And when he asks Arthur for a special allowance, because he needs new trousers to be made (“I seem to have developed a bit of a belly, Arthur”), the prince is more than happy to oblige him. 

Afterwards, they dine again, and Arthur watches as Merlin licks a spoon full of honey. He kisses his lips when they are still sticky from the sweetness.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Comments and kudos appreciated :)


End file.
